Waging War (The Hounds of Zeus MC, #1)

by Faith Gibson

  “It seems you’ve found your purpose.” Maveryck wasn’t teasing War. No one knew him better, and his twin was right. He had found his purpose, even if it was a temporary one. Kerrigan would go back to her life, and he would help his family take down the bastards who had dared kidnap her and harm her. After that, War had a feeling he’d be entrenched in the family business sooner than he’d expected. His phone buzzed. He looked at the screen to find an unfamiliar number.

  “It seems so. I have another call coming in, and it could be Kerrigan’s parents. As soon as I have the information you need, I’ll call you back.” War switched over and answered.

  “Hello?” Warryck looked at the phone to make sure it had connected then repeated, “Hello?”

  “Uh, yes. This is Shawn O’Shea. My daughter called us from this number.”

  “Yes, Mr. O’Shea. I have Kerrigan, and she’s safe.”

  “I’d like to talk to my daughter. I need to hear her voice.” The man’s words were barely audible. Kerrigan’s mother was talking over him in the background.

  “I’m not with her at the moment. I left the hotel to get some first aid supplies and food for her. I should be back with her in about twenty minutes. I’ll have her call you then, if that’s okay.”

  “First aid? What’s wrong? Is she okay?”

  “Just some scrapes, I promise.”

  “Who are you exactly? And how did you find my girl? She said she’s in Vermont.”

  “My brother and I were at Harper’s Point the night you and your wife came in looking for Kerrigan. We didn’t want to get officially involved in case we couldn’t find her. Didn’t want to get your hopes up. Our family does this type of thing for a living, so my brother and I did a little digging. We were able to come up with a few clues as to the direction she’d been taken.”

  “How the feck did she end up in Vermont?”

  “I’m not sure. I haven’t had a chance to speak to Kerrigan about what transpired the night she disappeared. I’m sure she’ll be able to fill you in once you get here. If you don’t mind, though, I need to get the supplies and back to the hotel. I don’t want to leave her alone any longer than I have to.”

  “Of course. Please, have her call. And, thank you, Mister... I don’t even know your name.”

  “Warryck Lazlo. And no thanks are needed. I’m just glad we got our girl back in one piece.” Our girl? “I’ll have Kerrigan call back soon.”

  “We’ll be waiting.”

  As he walked around town, Warryck thought about Kerrigan on his bike. Her arms encircling his waist and her front pressed against his back had been the best ride of his life. Harlow had ridden a few times when they first started dating, but only because he begged her. She never enjoyed it, and therefore Warryck didn’t either. Kerrigan’s smile when he helped remove the helmet made him want to put it back on her and take off to parts unknown. What would it be like to have a woman who enjoyed the open road as much as he did? His Gryphon’s words came back to him. Having a partner again hadn’t been on War’s mind. Until now. Until Kerrigan.

  But she wasn’t his. He had to remember she was going back to Maine with her parents. Or maybe she’d go with them to South Carolina. Before she did, he needed to find out all he could about her abduction.

  Even though it was a smaller town, there were some specialty stores still open. Warryck gathered everything they needed, plus a few items he couldn’t resist getting her, including a new cell phone. When he returned, he knocked on the door using his boot, since he couldn’t get to the key in his pocket. She didn’t open the door, and War remembered telling her not to answer it if someone knocked, but he hadn’t thought his hands would be so full. War kicked the door again. “Hey, it’s me. My arms are full, and I can’t reach the key.”

  A few seconds later, the door opened, and War about dropped everything he was holding. Kerrigan stood before him wrapped in a towel, her long, red hair hanging damp over her shoulders. He tracked each drop as it rolled down her creamy skin. Only when she stepped back, opening the door wider, did he come back to his senses. He needed to get away from her before she saw the erection straining against his jeans.

  “Here, let me help.” Kerrigan reached out to take the twelve pack from under his arm and the paper bag of food from his hand. The plastic bags containing first aid supplies and clothes were looped over his wrists. Kerrigan turned to set the food down, and War took advantage of the moment to adjust his cock so it wasn’t pressed against his zipper. It had been a long time since he’d encountered such a visceral need for a woman. Maybe it was because he needed to get laid. When Kerrigan broke into the pack of beer and pulled one out, War couldn’t move. She popped the top off and turned the bottle up, drinking half down before coming up for air.

  “Oh, god, how I’ve missed you,” she murmured into the bottle before chugging the rest of it. She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand before letting out a long belch. Laughing, she looked over at him and shrugged. “Sorry. We were only allowed to drink water, juice, or milk.”

  He grinned. “That wasn’t half bad.” It was refreshing to see a woman get excited about something as simple as beer. He pulled the larger of the bags off his wrist and held it out to her, keeping his eyes firmly on her face. “I got you some clothes if you want to get dressed.” As sexy as the towel was, War needed her to cover up. It was getting harder by the second not to stare at her shapely legs. It had taken him longer to shop than expected because he bought everything he thought she might need with the exception of underwear. He had guessed at her shoe size, but the black boots would be both practical as well as hot as fuck paired with jeans and a tee. Had he gone overboard for a woman he’d probably never see again? Yes, but he didn’t care. Money was no problem, and he never spent it on himself anyway.

  “Thanks. Anything’ll be better than those dull scrubs I’ve had to wear. I’ll just be a few.” Kerrigan turned and retreated to the bathroom, and that’s when he noticed the tattoo on her shoulder. He wanted to get a better look at it but decided that would put him in too close proximity to her bare skin. She returned half an hour later with her fingers wrapped in Band-Aids and the scrapes on her arms bandaged. Her hair was still damp, but she’d brushed the tangles out. “Thanks for the clothes. And those boots? They’re so soft. I’ll probably never wear anything on my feet but those ever again. How did you manage that so late?”

  “I got lucky. There were a couple stores that were still open, which surprised me in a town this size. I’m glad you like the boots.” Warryck couldn’t wait to see her decked out in the leather jacket he’d bought as well. He would save that in case she decided to ride with him at some point.

  “I’m starving,” she announced, digging into the paper sack. “So, what’s mine, and what’s yours?”

  “The burgers are the same, but I got fries and onion rings, so take your pick.”

  “Can we share?” She was adorable as she rubbed her hands together in anticipation.

  Warryck chuckled. “Absolutely. I also got you a phone. Your dad called while I was out, and he’s expecting you to call him back.” He handed her his phone. “Here. You can use mine again, and I’ll put yours on the charger.”

  “Thanks.” Kerrigan called her parents while she divvied up the food. The call was short yet sweet, with Kerrigan assuring her parents she was fine. More than once she glanced his direction. Each time, she smiled before ducking her eyes. Once she hung up, she said, “They could take a redeye, but I convinced them to get a good night’s sleep. They’ll be here around nine in the morning. Now, where were we?” Kerrigan spread the food out on the bed. “Is this okay?”

  No, it wasn’t. Warryck was having a hard enough time behaving without sitting so close. “Of course.” He sat as far away as he could and still reach the food. If she thought he was acting weird, she didn’t let on. When Kerrigan took a bite of burger, she closed her eyes and let out a long moan that went straight to his cock. Dear Zeus. Please give me strength.
r />   Warryck cleared his throat. “I’d like to talk.”

  “Sure. You’re curious about what happened to me, and I want to hear how you tracked me from Maine to Vermont.” After opening every pack of ketchup and dividing it between their wrappers, she picked up a fry, dragged it through the ketchup, and popped it in her mouth. When she looked up, her eyes were wide. “Sorry. I should have asked if you like ketchup.”

  “Of course. It’s my favorite condiment.” He slathered an onion ring with it before shoving the whole thing in his mouth. She grinned and reached for a beer. She’d brought the carton over to the bedside table, and while chewing, opened a second one to wash down her food.

  “Sorry. It’s just been a while since I had decent food. I do have manners, but I seem to have lost them when I lost my freedom.”

  “I like seeing a woman eat with gusto. It’s refreshing.” Warryck wasn’t intentionally thinking about Harlow, but he couldn’t stop comparing Kerrigan to his wife. They were worlds apart in looks and mannerisms. The women he’d had sex with in past years had been nothing more than someone to relieve his aching balls. He’d never dated. Never taken a woman to a restaurant before he took her to bed. Harlow was the only experience he had to measure this one by.

  “You said you overheard my parents. Can you tell me about that?”

  War did, but he started with a little about himself and how he was just leaving his long-time profession to hit the road with his brother. He told her about choosing teaching over a private practice. He didn’t go into too much detail about Lucy and Julian, but he did tell her he had family who had some pretty good computer skills. “Lucy, my daughter, spotted a sedan, the only other vehicle in the area the night you disappeared. She tracked it until it disappeared into the White Mountain forest. And when I say disappeared, that’s exactly what I mean. It was never picked back up leaving. Mav and I searched the area for the car, but we never found it. At that point, we gave up.”

  Kerrigan’s eyes shot up, but War held out his hand. “I’m sorry, Sweetheart. We searched for almost a week. We decided to resume our ride while Lucy continued looking for any clues as to where the car might have gone.”

  “Then how did you find me?”

  Warryck had to be careful. Sure, he could tell her the truth and then wipe her memory, but her parents would want to know the story as well. He hadn’t figured out a lie that was believable, and he wasn’t trying too hard to come up with one. He didn’t want to lie to her or her parents. Something about her called to him on a deep level. His future was still up in the air, and now his Gryphon had convinced him to add Kerrigan to the mix of things to think about.

  “Warryck?” Kerrigan reached out and touched his arm. “How did you find me?”

  Her hand was cold from holding her beer, but it still sent warm tingles along his skin. He looked into her shimmering green eyes and told the truth. “It was a fluke.”

  Chapter Twenty

  Kerrigan

  KERRIGAN swallowed hard when War stared at her. She couldn’t allow herself to get lost in the depths of his sparkling sapphire eyes. Couldn’t think about the consideration he’d put into the clothes he’d chosen and the phone he’d picked up for her. And not just any clothes and any cell phone. The phone was top of the line. The jeans – which fit her like a glove – were a brand she only bought at the thrift store. Not that she couldn’t afford them at full price, but Kerrigan had never been one to spend a hundred dollars for a pair of jeans when she could get the same thing gently worn when someone else tossed them aside for less than twenty bucks.

  The black motorcycle boots, although half a size too big, were the softest leather she’d ever felt. There was no need to break them in. With her feet still sore from her ordeal of running through the woods, she’d opted to leave them off for the time being, but she couldn’t wait to walk around in them.

  At some point, Warryck had studied her body to gauge her size, and that sent a pulse to her core that she’d been tempted to do something about while in the bathroom. Surely, this man – this thoughtful, stunning man – was taken. He had a daughter, so there had to be a mother. And for some reason, that didn’t sit well with her. Kerrigan didn’t want to think about someone else having Warryck’s attention. She casually glanced at his left hand when he took a bite of food. No ring. Maybe he was divorced.

  Realizing he was silent, Kerrigan steadied her nerves and found her voice. “A fluke? Tell me about it.”

  His deep voice was hypnotic, and she had to really pay attention so she didn’t have to ask him to repeat his story. “Mav and I continued on our ride, but Lucy kept digging. The only thing she found that could possibly make any sense was a large paneled truck that left the forest not long after the sedan entered. We thought either the car was hidden within, or you’d been passed off to the driver without us finding the original car. She tracked the truck here to Green Mountain. I wasn’t lying when I told the men who were chasing you it’s somewhere I camp every year. I set up my tent and was planning on searching the area when I heard the dog barking. I just happened to be in the right place at the right time. So, a fluke.”

  “Wow. I had given up hope of a higher power stepping in to help me, but maybe there’s something to praying after all.” Except, she hadn’t prayed, had she?

  “Your turn. I want to know all about what transpired that night. And start with Dalton. He’s a piece of shit, by the way.”

  Kerrigan bristled. “You met Dalton?”

  “Yes. Mav and I paid him a little visit to see if he had anything to do with your disappearance.”

  Kerrigan recounted what happened that night at the bar when Ambrose showed up, until the time “Stanley” stopped to help. Warryck actually growled when she got to the part where Dalton beat her. Not wanting to think more about that than she needed to, she pushed on. “When I woke up, I was at a place called The Sanctuary. I knew immediately it was something out of a bad dream.” After walking Warryck through her time there, she added, “The weirdest part was finding the pictures. I think I was a substitute for an old girlfriend.”

  “That seems to be going around.” Warryck gathered the trash from their meal and tossed it in the garbage can.

  “What do you mean?”

  “When we got to Dalton’s, a redhead was trying to leave.”

  “So, he moved on when he thought I skipped town?”

  “Sort of. Do you really want to hear this? You already know he’s a dick.”

  “Why not? It’s not like I’m going to run back to New Portland and see him around town. I’ve never been in a long-term relationship, but living alone does get lonely. So, when Dalton kept pursuing me, I thought I’d give it a shot. Lesson learned.”

  “What about Ambrose?”

  “What about him? He and I are friends. Sure, there was some attraction, but it was pointless. He’s married to the sea, and even though Harper’s Point is always his first stop when he returns, it’s only for a few days. So, there’s nothing and no one for me in Maine.”

  “You’re not going to let one man ruin you for the rest of us, are you?”

  Kerrigan tilted her head to the side. “The rest of us? Why, Warryck, are you saying you’re up for the task?” She laughed and waved her hand in the air. “I’m kidding. I know I’m just a job to you. Well, sort of. Your family sounds like a good one if they go off looking for wayward women without getting paid to do it.” She reached into the cardboard box, retrieving another beer and holding it out to Warryck. After he took it, she grabbed one of her own. The food was keeping her from getting lightheaded. “Now, tell me about Dalton’s other redhead.”

  The anger was back in the man’s voice as he told Kerrigan about Tasha. When he explained how Dalton had a sort of shrine to Kerrigan in the closet, goosebumps rose on her skin. “We left him tied up for the police to find, and I’m not ashamed to say he wasn’t without a bruise or two of his own.”

  Kerrigan wasn’t one for violence, but the fact that this man wh
o didn’t know her got in some punches on her account made her warm and fuzzy. “Is it wrong of me to wish you’d given him more than a few bruises? I mean, he hit Tasha as well. He needs to be stopped.”

  “She was supposed to go to the police station when she left. If she did, he’s probably in jail.”

  “I’d like to file my own report, but since I no longer have evidence, it’d be his word against mine.”

  “Yeah, and it’s not like we can go to this Sanctuary and have them vouch for you. That’s something else we need to talk about. When Maveryck gets here, he’s going to want every bit of information you have on that place. If they took you there against your will, I’m betting you aren’t the only one.”

  “I have no doubt. I do know there was one woman who tried to leave, but she wasn’t as lucky as I was.” Kerrigan touched her cheek, remembering where Mac’s scar bisected her pretty face. “She fell in love with a man, but it wasn’t allowed. Gideon, the leader, had to approve all couples, and one of the guards wanted Mac. She tried to run, like I did, but... I’m guessing by the scar on her face the dog got to her. Or maybe it was Lewis. I don’t really know.”

  “What do you mean, he has to approve the couples?”

  “It’s such bullshit. He said he has to make sure the couples are compatible enough to sustain a long marriage. If they don’t get along after a while, they are placed with someone different. Mac didn’t want to be with the guard, so she ran.”

  “Maybe we can get Mac out of there once Maveryck gets here and we come up with a plan.”

  Kerrigan bit her bottom lip. She wanted to help Mac, but that would leave Sparrow to take her place. “There’s a lot more to it than that. Sparrow, the young woman I told you lived at Gideon’s with me? Mac is her sister. If Mac leaves, Sparrow will be given to Lewis.”

  “But I thought you said they have to be compatible or Gideon finds someone new for them.”